Royal Australian Navy to do away with the Senior Sailors Mess

[senojekips]

A five page signal (Security Unclassified) has just been received throughout all Royal Australian Navy Shore establishments outlining new Messing arrangements that are going to start being implemented forthwith.

To cut to the nitty gritty, someone in Navy Office has decided that the present system of messing in Shore Establishments with huge under-utilised infrastructure and running costs is to be minimised.

In nearly all cases, the existing Chief's and PO's Mess Dining and Recreational areas will be absorbed into the Wardroom.
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Wow! wouldn't I have been cool if I was still serving.

I could just see myself at Dinner with a glass of Red in one hand, and wagging a cold chicken leg under the Skipper's nose, across the table, whilst regaling him with the highlights of last night's run ashore up "The Cross" (a well known Sydney entertainment area).

It has been a long held tradition in Australian Senior Sailors Messes that members do not address each other by rank or title. Hmmmm,...

Never the less, I think that it could be quite workable, but there will need to be some give and take on both sides.

Interesting times eh?....

 

[BritinBritain]

At RAF Jurong in Singapore we only had one officer so therefore there was no officers mess, we had a Sergeants/WO/Senior Ranks Mess, but as we only had one WO living on unit, it was only open Christmas Day when the "other ranks" were invited in. The CO and WO always drank in the Airmen's Mess (they had to knock on the mess door and be invited in by an erk), rank etiquette was observed at all times. Sometimes we had to shame them into buying a round.

 

[senojekips]

Yes,... there are no doubt a few new ground rules that will have to come into being, and so long as they observe common courtesy they can be made to work.

In the Merchant Navy things started to go this way in latter years with a common Dining area where everyone served themselves, and later we made what was the Officers Rec Room and Bar into a Non Smoking area and the Seaman's bar into a smoking area. It is important that on Tankers in particular as there has to be an area where people may smoke as it is forbidden in most other areas of the vessel.

People felt a little out of place at the start, but soon worked out an acceptable set of ground rules, e.g. rank was not observed in common areas, but was in all work environments, although many still called the Chief Mate or Chief engineer "Chief" purely because it was convenient, almost like a nickname, others went by first names and nick names. In most other matters it was "First in, Best dressed". In my experience I saw no ill feeling, and I firmly believe that it led to a far greater degree of ease and co-operation in the work environment.

 

[Spartan613]

There's nothing very new about this. Many, small, Defence Establishments have mixed Messes. The dining room is partitioned so that each rank group has its own areas. You don't get junior ranks sitting down to lunch with the CO.

 

[asma18]

At RAF Jurong in Singapore we only had one officer so therefore there was no officers mess, we had a Sergeants/WO/Senior Ranks Mess, but as we only had one WO living on unit, it was only open Christmas Day when the "other ranks" were invited in. The CO and WO always drank in the Airmen's Mess (they had to knock on the mess door and be invited in by an erk), rank etiquette was observed at all times. Sometimes we had to shame them into buying a round.

Is the airforce different to the Aust Army? Our Warrant officers live and eat in the Sgts mess,and I can recall when there was only one officer at a unit where I was, the Officer ate and lived in the Sgts lines near the Warrant Officers end.

 

[asma18]

A five page signal (Security Unclassified) has just been received throughout all Royal Australian Navy Shore establishments outlining new Messing arrangements that are going to start being implemented forthwith.

To cut to the nitty gritty, someone in Navy Office has decided that the present system of messing in Shore Establishments with huge under-utilised infrastructure and running costs is to be minimised.

In nearly all cases, the existing Chief's and PO's Mess Dining and Recreational areas will be absorbed into the Wardroom.
------------------------------------------------
Wow! wouldn't I have been cool if I was still serving.

I could just see myself at Dinner with a glass of Red in one hand, and wagging a cold chicken leg under the Skipper's nose, across the table, whilst regaling him with the highlights of last night's run ashore up "The Cross" (a well known Sydney entertainment area).

It has been a long held tradition in Australian Senior Sailors Messes that members do not address each other by rank or title. Hmmmm,...

Never the less, I think that it could be quite workable, but there will need to be some give and take on both sides.

Interesting times eh?....

I will bet that no-one called the CHIEF PETTY OFFICER mate or sport or anything other than his rank.In the case of the Army usually the main man was the RSM/ASM and wo-betide anyone who called them anything else.They do not have a sense of humour.

 

[BritinBritain]

I will bet that no-one called the CHIEF PETTY OFFICER mate or sport or anything other than his rank.In the case of the Army usually the main man was the RSM/ASM and wo-betide anyone who called them anything else.They do not have a sense of humour.

As I mentioned before somewhere on here, while a number of us RAF blokes were at RAAF Butterworth in Malaya many many years ago, an Aussie said to our stuck up git of a officer, "G'day Mate." Our officer got most indignant at being called "Mate."

I and the other RAF blokes were having hysterics.

 

[42RM]

I sometimes dine with the lads ​

It´s considered a vote of confidence from the OR. But it is only the Troop- or Company Commander you show this honor, for enyone else it would be inappropriate.

 

[senojekips]

I will bet that no-one called the CHIEF PETTY OFFICER mate or sport or anything other than his rank.In the case of the Army usually the main man was the RSM/ASM and wo-betide anyone who called them anything else.They do not have a sense of humour.

We are getting a bit off Topic here, but I guess that it is related.

The unwritten rules were far more complicated than that. On the job, he was "Chief". Ashore, depending on your seniority, the length of time you had served together, who else was about and his opinion of you, you often worked on first names. I must admit though, I never heard one called "Mate" or "Sport".

As a 16 year old Ordinary Seaman with only a month or two at sea, I learned that I could call my Steaming PO (very senior E6 for you Americans) "Spook", unless of course the EO was about. Never the less there was never any mistaking who was boss down the hole, but if any officers were present he was always "Petty Officer Spooner".

At Spook's funeral I had the great privilege to relate how his easygoing, but very obvious power of command and respect, inspired me all through my career and led to my attempts to emulate him in all that I did.

I found that his example served me very well.